Native America Calling

AMC’s new television series "Dark Winds" is a thriller set in the 1970s on the Navajo Nation and the production is filled with Native talent. Showrunner Graham Roland (Chickasaw) and veteran director Chris Eyre (Cheyenne and Arapaho) are getting big name production credentials from Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin. They’re also navigating some touchy source material from non-Native author Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn and Chee murder mystery novels. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce hears from those involved in the series about what adapting the work was like and their experiences on the set with writers Billy Luther (Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna Pueblo) and Razelle Benally (Oglala Lakota and Diné) - and actors Eugene Brave Rock (Blackfeet) and Kiowa Gordon (Hualapai).

This month marks the 60th anniversary of Samoa’s independence from colonial rule. Self rule came to the Pacific island nation in 1962, after decades of frustration with occupation by New Zealand, and Germany before that. During those times, Samoans had little say in the administration of their own people, and their culture and language were systematically diminished. Now, Samoa thrives and works to revitalize the core elements of their identity.

Chances are you won’t be limited to a single career your whole life. But there are ways to build skills and knowledge that will help you throughout your lifetime regardless where your vocation takes you. Once you leave school or enter a trade, there are some things to know about what to expect and what’s expected of you no matter what you do. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce learns what to know as you start the journey of your working life with Rafael Tapia (Pascua Yaqui), vice president of program at Partnership With Native Americans; David Bledsoe, senior manager of student success engagement and communications for the American Indian College Fund; and Dr. Corey Still (Cherokee), vice president of academic affairs for Bacone College.

More than six decades after it errantly took land away from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the federal government is returning nearly 12,000 acres. The transaction resolves a dispute over the Minnesota tribe’s land that began when federal officials improperly interpreted a U.S. Department of Interior order and started selling off what was clearly Leech Lake land. Reversing the process was no easy feat and required a unique collaboration with county officials. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce speaks with Faron Jackson Sr. (Ojibwe), chairman of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe; Ben Benoit (Ojibwe), environmental director for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe; and Josh Stevenson, Cass County Administrator.

In response to meat shortages spurred by the pandemic and a consolidated meat industry, the Biden-Harris Administration is dedicating $1 billion to smaller, independent meat processing endeavors. That’s a promising boost for a handful of local, tribally operated meat processing facilities that service tribal ranchers and consumers. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce talks with agriculture advocates about efforts to leverage the federal money to diversify the meat processing industry with Roger Fragua (Jemez Pueblo), executive director of the Flower Hill Institute, as well as Chris Roper and Dave Carter, directors of regional technical assistance for the Flower Hill Institute.

Greg Sarris’ memoir gives voice to all Indigenous people’s connection to land and culture as he recounts his own personal journey. Sarris is chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and a prolific novelist. In his new memoir, “Becoming Story: A Journey Among Seasons, Places, Trees, and Ancestors,” he gathers a series of essays about his life and his encounters with the land, the people and the important places and events that define who he is.

Wayne Newton’s legacy as a stage and screen performer is well established over his six decades in show business. He’s also a strong advocate for Native people, working for years to help his tribe gain recognition and on behalf of Native veterans. Host Alyssa London interviewed Newton in front of a live audience at the NCAIED RES conference in his hometown, Las Vegas, NV. We bring you their entire conversation and might have time for a bit of "Danke Schoen".

The mass shootings in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX are a shock to our collective sense of security. In addition to those two high-profile incidents, the Gun Violence Archive lists at least 14 shootings with four or more victims in the U.S. just over the Memorial Day weekend. Solutions for such violence seem beyond the reach of law enforcement officials and elected leaders. Today on Native America Calling, Shawn Spruce asks Native experts about ways to approach the prevention and healing of violence with Dr. Mark Standing Eagle Baez (Mohawk, Pawnee, Coahuiltecan, and Mexican), assistant professor of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Bemidji State University; Leslie Logan (Seneca), founding member of the Mothers of the Seneca Nation and contributing writer for Indian Country Today; and Lynette Stant (Diné), 3rd grade teacher at Salt River Elementary School and 2020 Arizona Teacher of the Year.

This year’s National Senior Games just wrapped up in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The games have a sizeable turnout of Native elders that compete in over 20 different events ranging from shuffleboard to track and field. For nearly 35 years the games aim at promoting athletics as well as health and wellness for elders. We talk with some of those that were involved in the games and get a glimpse of what it was like on the scene.

Storytelling is a powerful tradition in Native communities. Now, that tradition has become a strategic tool for Native businesses and nations to navigate politics and protect their interests. Shaping your own narrative is a matter of strategy, consistency, preparation, and partnerships. We'll hear why this is important during our live broadcast from the Reservation Economic Summit (RES) in Las Vegas.